David Tepper, left, speaks as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell looks on during Tuesday's news conference introducing Tepper as the new owner of the Carolina Panthers. Panthers team captains and leaders met with Tepper on Wednesday in Charlotte to talk about the NFL's policy on the national anthem, a team source told the Observer on Thursday. John BazemoreAP

David Tepper, left, speaks as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell looks on during Tuesday's news conference introducing Tepper as the new owner of the Carolina Panthers. Panthers team captains and leaders met with Tepper on Wednesday in Charlotte to talk about the NFL's policy on the national anthem, a team source told the Observer on Thursday. John BazemoreAP

Source: Panthers captains, leaders met with David Tepper on new NFL anthem policy

Carolina Panthers team captains and leaders met with new owner David Tepper on Wednesday in Charlotte, a team source told the Observer on Thursday.

The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.

Among the topics addressed was a policy the NFL announced Wednesday stating that teams can be fined by the league if players don't stand up on the field during the national anthem before games. The policy states that players may remain in the locker room during the anthem if they choose.

The policy drew national criticism and was condemned by the NFL Players Association, whose governing members said neither they nor other players were consulted prior to the announcement by the league.

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Some players knelt during the national anthem last season to protest racial inequality and police brutality, following the lead of former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began kneeling in 2016. Leaguewide protests and showings of team unity, including some by owners, escalated in September following explicit remarks made by President Donald Trump toward NFL player-protestors.

No Panthers players knelt during the national anthem last season. Veteran defensive end Julius Peppers elected to remain inside the locker room during the anthem in September, a few days after Trump's comments.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that Monday's vote was "unanimous." But 49ers owner Jed York has since made public that he abstained from voting. ESPN's Seth Wickersham reported that Raiders owner Mark Davis additionally abstained.